Dark Chocolate Nutrition

You may think of dark chocolate nutrition as a decadent indulgence and nutrition no-no, but a growing number of studies confirm that this treat offers a healthy dose of preventive medicine. A new study found that frequent eating of chocolate promotes dark chocolate weight loss, despite consuming calories. Just how is this ever possible? The key may be the powerful dark chocolate antioxidants. Other recent research suggests that people who take in more antioxidants from food have less body fat, weigh less and have smaller waistlines, even when they do not eat fewer calories. Here are four more reasons to build a dark chocolate diet into your daily meals.

Dark Chocolate Nutrition

Dark Chocolate Promotes Heart Health

The antioxidants in cocoa trigger the walls of your blood vessels to relax lower blood pressure and improve circulation. This means better oxygen and nutrients are delivered to every cell, and less stress on the heart. Also, natural substances in chocolate help prevent cholesterol from sticking to your artery walls, reducing your risk of heart attack and stroke. And the type of saturated fat in dark chocolate is not the same as the artery-clogging saturated fat in a hamburger or whole milk.

Dark Chocolate Nutrition Promotes Appetite Control

Compared to milk chocolate eaters, those who downed dark chocolate at least 15% more calories without even trying reported fewer cravings for sweet, salty and fatty foods. Chocolate’s intoxicating scent may also play a role in curbing food intake. When given the ability to control our own dessert portions, we tend to eat 5 to 10% less or more aromatic samples. The stronger the smell, the smaller the bite, and dark chocolate are certainly a feast for the olfactory senses.

Dark Chocolate Nutrition Promotes Stress Management

Healthy dark chocolate has been shown to help correct imbalances in the body related to stress, and can significantly reduce levels of stress hormones. This is key because a surge in stress hormones is linked to gaining more belly fat, the most dangerous type of fat you carry as it is tied to a greater risk of heart disease, Alzheimer’s and certain types of cancers. Dark chocolate also contains magnesium, a nominal that can help alleviate PMS symptoms, including cramps, fatigue, water retention, irritability and depression.

Dark Chocolate Nutrition Promotes Brain Benefits

Dark chocolate offers a caffeine kick, but not too much. An ounce of 70% dark contains about 40 milligrams of caffeine, compared to 200 milligrams in 8 ounces of brewed coffee and 120 milligrams in strong black tea. Aside from caffeine, chocolate also has the same type of antioxidants found in red wine and tea, which have been shown to boost brain activity and improve performance on challenging brain teasers. Finally, its natural substances trigger a sense of euphoria, like the feeling of being in love.

Go For Healthy Dark Chocolate

When shopping for chocolate, just make sure to look for one that is 70% cocoa or greater to maximize dark chocolate benefits. Enjoy it without any distraction, and savor every morsel guilt-free, knowing it is a smart way to take care of yourself.